Winter Recipe: Mushroom Walnut Pâté

Winter Recipe: Mushroom Walnut Pâté

This recipe is adopted from the Moosewood Cookbook. I’ve been making it since I began cooking for myself, and it was a favorite of mine growing up when my mom made it.

It falls into the not-super gorgeous instagram-ready category- it’s a slow cooked brown food. But with it’s humble appearance is a hearty forgiving loaf- seasonings can vary according to what you have on-hand and your preference- and it is absolutely delicious on a sandwich with a crunchy romaine lettuce leaf, dijon mustard and a sharp cheddar. Which is precisely the way I enjoy it!

Note on pottery- the finished loaf is displayed on the woven-rim serving platter- current rendition is available as a made to order item.

 

With baking time this is about a 2 hour recipe. 2 1/2 hours if you like to take your time when cooking. A food processor is handy for this recipe but if you are without, just take care to extra finely chop the ingredients. It will have more texture then a pâté but still works!

Bakes at 375 °  F

Ingredients

  • 8 oz White Button Mushroom (sm package), rough chopped
  • Two 16 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms (2 lg packages), rough chopped
  • 1 Medium Onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup White Wine Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc work well.
  • 1 14 oz Block of Extra Firm Tofu, pressed
  • 1 1/4 Cup Walnut, toasted, rough chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • Leaves from 6 or 7 Fresh Thyme Stalks, 4-5 Sage leaves chopped fine. If fresh is not on hand substitute with dry.
  • 3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Panko or other Breadcrumb
  • 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

Method

  1. In large 12” sauté pan heat 1/4 cup olive oil and add onion on medium low, stirring from time to time until carmelizing. Press tofu - I do this by sandwiching it between two plates with a cast iron pan on top - a little precarious but it works, in about 15 mins enough liquid should be drained out of the tofu.
  2. When onion is caramelized, add diced mushroom with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, tossing to coat. Turn heat up to med-high; a lot of liquid will cook out of the mushroom, stir occasionally, and keep cooking until it has evaporated. Allow some browning to occur.
  3. Deglaze pan with wine, lower heat to medium and add herbs, worcestershire, soy sauce and dijon.
  4. Crumble in the tofu, cook for a few minutes more then add bread crumb and walnut.
  5. Transfer 3/4 of the mixture to a food processor and pulse until it has a pate like texture.
  6. Mix processed ingredients with the remaining mushroom mixture from the pan.
  7. Transfer to a greased 9” rectangular bread pan, and bake uncovered for 50 mins or until top is browned.
  8. Cool. May be turned out onto a serving dish and topped with chopped parsley and a bit of chopped walnut if desired.

Enjoy!

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